Is Lyme Disease Contagious?

Lyme disease is one of the most infectious diseases in the world today. It is commonly emerging in the northern hemisphere and temperate regions of the globe. It is endemic in various continents and countries such as Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, United Kingdom, South America, and North America.

This kind of disease is caused by at least three types of bacteria; Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii. The name of the disease is derived from the town of Lyme in the state of Connecticut, USA. On the other hand, the main causative pathogen of lyme disease, B. burgdoferi was named after Willy Burgdorfer who discovered the bacteria.

Disease Transmission

The main vector of the disease is of the genus Ixodus which is a tick that has a hard protective covering. Fortunately, the rate of transmission is very rare. This means that most tick bites are non-infectious and only 1% of them can cause the said disease. The infection may only happen if the tick is attached on the skin for more than a day. But this is possible since when the tick bite, a fluid is secreted along with the bite which dulls the skin from itch and pain.

Lyme disease: Contagious or Not?

This is a valid question that needs to be answered. A little background on how it is transmitted can actually answer the question.

As what was already mentioned, a person is infected with Lyme disease when he or she is bitten with a tick carrying the bacteria. At first glance, the answer is obvious. This kind of diesease is not contagious but there are some reports that raise concern to people. There are reports that the bacteria spirochete can be found in semen and breast milk. As this might be the case, there are no strong indications or evidences that suggest its spread through sexual intercourse. Even for pregnant women, the spirochete bacteria are not able to breach the blood-brain barrier of the placenta. Babies born from mothers who have lyme disease do not exhibit any teratogenicity. Though the congenital Lyme borreliosis had been named after the disease, babies rarely develop this disease.

Management

Of course, contagious or not, Lyme disease should be treated accordingly. It should not be taken for granted because advanced systemic infection can lead to serious and permanent bad effects on the body. It should be treated at its earliest stage. Antibiotics such as doxycyline, erythromycin, and ceftriaxone are the drugs of choice of Lyme disease. Use of these drugs should be collaborated with professionals and licensed physicians because there are certain medical consideration that should be observed when taking these drugs.

Asking the question " is Lyme disease contagious " deserves an answer. By looking for information about Lyme disease being contagious can be a very good step in finding the answer.

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